Work-rotating structure for machine tools



Oct 31, 1933. H. L. FLATHER WORK ROTATING STRUCTURE FOR MACHINE TOOLS` Filed March 17, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l hw m QW m bv www i IHJVI! ||||w|\ ,www ,51:11:52 @Y I l I l I l l l llAlll Q Q ,m,\ mm

\m ON QN .WQ w M W OGL 3l, 1933- H. L. FLATHER WORK ROTATING STRUCTURE FOR` MACHINE TOOLS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1951 Patented oa. 31, 1933 PArsNr kWORK- no'rii'rrNo. STRUCTURE Foa MACHINE 'rooLs Herbert L. Father', Nashua, N. H.; Joseph n.

Father vand Herbert H. Flather administrators v of saidl Herbert L. Flather, deceased 'Application March rz, 1931. serial No. 523,293 claims. (0182-30) This invention relates to mountings for faceplates, chuckaxtures and similar parts on spindles oflathes and other machine tools. Theconventional mounting comprises ascreW-thread on 5 the spindleand a mating thread on a part to be.

mounted.l That type of mounting has several objections, among which maybe mentioned, rst, lack of rigidity when subjected to heavy strains;

second, inaccuracy, because lit `has been demons V strated that it is impossible to put on and vtake off aface-plate or other similar part repeatedly, without the threads becoming worn and inaccu-v rate; third, that if a spindle running at presentday .speeds be stopped suddenly, the momentum causesuch part to unscrew from the spindle, with the possibility ofV causing damage Yto the Work and to the machine, and injuryv to the Workman; and fourth, the necessity of the exercise `of great care on the part of the workman to see .that the screw-threads are free from foreign matter, and properly lubricated beforebeing screwed together. WhenV neglect of this kind occurs, the parts become jammed, or frozen'together, with the result that the screw-threads are damaged-and in extreme cases injured beyond repair. The object of my invention is to overcome these objections, and. togprov'ide a more simple, rigid, accurate and durable means for mounting faceplates, chueks, iixtures and other parts lon the ends of spindles, or their equivalents. Although the spindle shown in the'drawings is that of :a lathe, my invention is not limited to thatpar.- ticular machine, as the invention may be em-v 'found desirable in lathe work.

erence to the following description, when taken of one specic embodiment thereof, while its scope will be pointed out more particularly inthe appended claims.

In the drawings: 45. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal, sectional view of a workrotating structure exemplifying the invention, showing a chuck in place on theispindle;

Fig; 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the structure with the chuck removed, and with a lathe dog in place; l

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal, sectional view, showing a face-plate substituted for the chuck; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 2. Referring to the drawings, and to the embodiof the part screwed to the spindle is suflicient toA ployed advantageously in anysituationvwherethe'` results desired are similar to those ,which'are in connection with the accompanying drawings Yternal screw-thread 29 presented by the collar.

`plate or other body 19, its sole function Ibeing to ment of theinvention which is illustrated there# in, there is shown a portionrof ahead-Stockg of la lathe, and in this head-sto"ck,f gthere is a-front spindle bearing-mounting 6, in which there is mounted an appropriate bearing, herein a roller bearing, comprising inner and'outer races 7 and 60"v 8 and a set or rollers 9. A spindle 10, mounted in the inner race, is vprovided With a shoulderll, which rests against the outer end of the race.

A lubricant-'retaining*ring-12, seated within the bearing.mounting,prevents the-escape of -lubri..l 653,v

cant from the bearing. The spindle is provided with a usual internal taper 13, toreceive awtaper socket 14, the llatter in turn receiving a usual y lathe center 15. Y Y In accordance with my invention, the spindle, 701u is provided with an` enlargement inthe .nature of an `annular flange l5, which is received in a cham-` ber V1'? presented by a body, which, asshown inV Fig. 1, is a chuck 18, and for this chuck'there may be substituted aface-plate 19, shownin Fig.`

3, or any otherxture, or similar part. In the embodiment. showny-the enlargementV or ange 16 has aperipheral, tapered surface 20,'which Y snuglyts a corresponding surface 21 in -the chuck, or a corresponding' surface 22 in the faceplate, and the enlargement has a.face,23,gwhich contacts with a corresponding face 24 withinthe chuck, or acorresponding face 25 Within the face plate.V` Thus, the chuck and thejface-plateare interchangeable,- and either, when mounted upon the spindle, is positionedaccurately onthe latter concentric with its axis. f

In the case of the face-plate, the latter is drawn into its proper position on the spindlerby a collar 26, interposed between the spindle bearing and -Vl the venlargement 16, and to bring the face-plate fairly close to the bearing, this collar is received This collar bears against the rear face -of thei venlargement 16, and when turned in the proper' direction, will cause the face-plate or other 'body-' to be seated iirmly and accurately thereon. The internaly surface of the collar is separated from' the spindle by a clearance space/30, which in A practicel is lfivef-thousandths of an inch, but' in the drawings is exaggerated to bring out the' fact that'the collar is in. the nature of a floating ele-f ment, which has no part in centering the face draw the body into place, and to maintain it in iirm engagement Vwith the enlargement on the spindle. ,z e

Rotation ofA the collar is accomplished conven- 1 10 iently by extending the same rearwardly toward the spindle bearing a sufficient distance to enable it to be provided with a set of radial slots 31 (see Fig. 4), to receive a flat bar (not shown), by means of which the collar be turned. While lthe described fastening means might in and of itself be suiiicient to prevent turning of the body on the spindle, in the present example, the body is provided with one or more, herein a plurality of driving pins 32, secured to the body and projecting therefrom into corresponding openings 33 provided in the enlargement 16 oi the spindle.

In Fig. 2, the face-plate has been removed, and the spindle has been turned through an angle of 90 degrees, to show the fact that the enlargement is provided with a pair oi slots 34 to receive a tail 35 of a work-driver such as a usual dog 36, having a setwscrew 37 by which it is secured to a work-piece 38, the dog and the work-piece being shown in dotted lines. Any conventional means for driving the work may be used equally well. The dog shown is oi small dimensions, and thus may be used without the faceplate in place. The direct connection of the Work-driver to the spindle affords a positive drive, as nothing can come apart. When larger dogs are employed, they are ,of course used in connection with thefaceeplate in the usual manner, by providing the latter with slots 39.

As an alternative means of securing a body, such as the chuck 18, to the spindle, I have provided a plurality or" members, .herein studs 40, extending lengthwise of the axis of the spindle, and secured to the body as by screw-threads 41. In applying the body to the spindle, these studs are passed through openings 42 in the enlarge ment 16, and also through corresponding openings 43 in the ring 26. As" herein shown, the openings 43 are disposed between the slots 31 (see Fig. 4) These studs of course prevent rotation of the chuck or other body with relation to the spindle. The chuck or other body is drawn iirmly linto place, and is maintained in its proper position by the provision of nuts 44, threaded onto the inner ends of the studs, and bearing against the rear face oi the collar 276.

As herein shown, the spindle is provided at its front end witha reduced portion 45, which is loosely received in a bore 46 presented by the body 18, or a corresponding bore 47 presented by the body 19, thereby to assist in sustaining theweight of the body on the spindle, while the body is being applied to the spindle'. This projection; however, does not center the body, as the tapered surfaces only are relied upon for that purpose.

Thus it is apparent that the two described fastening means may be vemployed alternatively tc` secure one body or the other to the spindle.

Having thus described one embodiment of the invention, but Without limiting myself thereto, what 'I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure 1s:

1. In a work-rotating structure for machine ing provided with screw-threads for engagement with screw-threads in one of said work-rotating bodies; the other of said means including a plurality of threaded members having engagement at one set of ends with the other of said worl -ro tating bodies, said threaded members extending parallel to the axisoi saidrspindlel and through said enlargement and nuts having screw-threaded engagement with the other setof ends of said members, respectively, axially inwardly with relation to said enlargement. Y

2. InV a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a spindle provided with an enlargement to support a plurality of interchangeable, work-rotating bodies, and alternatively available means to secure said bodies to said spindle, one of said means comprising a ring loosely mounted on said spindle and adapted to be rotated independently of said spindle, said ring being provided with screw-threads for engagement with screw-threads in one ci said Workrotating bodies and having a plurality of holes extending therethrough parallel with the axis of said ring; the other oi said means including a lurality of threaded members adapted for en,- gageinent at one set of ends with the other oi' said work-rotating bodies, said threaded members extending parallel to the axis of said spindle, through said enlargement. andthrough said holes in said ring, and nuts having screw-threaded engagement with the other ends oisaid members, respectively, axially inwardly with relation to said enlargement. v

V3. In a work-rotating,structure for Amachine tools, the combination of a spindle having means to support a plurality of interchangeable workrotating bodies, and alternatively available means to secure said bodies to said spindle, the lastmentioned means comprising a ring about said spindle and having a thread forengageinent with one of said bodies and having a plurality of openings, and a plurality of threaded members extending lengthwise of the axis .of said spindle and througha part of the latter and through'said openings to secure the other'body in place.

4. In a Work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination of a spindle having means wherebyl a plurality of work-rotating bodies may be interchangeably supported on said spindle, and alternatively available means to secure said bodies to said spindle, said means including a ring about saidspindle to secure one of said bodies thereto, and a plurality of fastening members extending through a kpart of said spindle 'and through said ring and adapted to cooperate with said ring to secure the other oi said bodies to said spindle.

v5. In a work-rotating structure for machine tools, the combination oi a spindle provided with an enlargement having a set of openings, said enlargement being adapted to support a plurality of Work-rotating bodies; interchangeably, and alternatively available means to secure said bodies to said spindle, said means including a ring about said spindle to secure one of said bodies thereto, said ring being provided with a set of openings, and a plurality of fastening members adapted to be received in both sets of said openings to secure the other of said bodies `to said spindle.

HERBERT L. FLATHER.

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